Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a demolition drive of “illegally built temples” in the State. So far, 154 such temples have been pulled down down in Gandhinagar alone, including a Sai Babamandir and a Hanuman shrine. Facing the axe are another 161 temples, a dargah, and a Christian prayer hall in BJP prime minister hopeful L.K. Advani‘s constituency.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) president Ashok Singhal has said “the Gujarat government is acting like Aurangzeb“, in an allusion to the 17th century Mughal ruler, while VHP spokesman Jay Shah has said “the demolitions are an attack on Hindu faith”. Modi’s loyalists, on the other hand, are quoted as saying the demolitions are an effort to paint himself as a “nationally acceptable, secular leader”.

Is it within the rights of a government to bring down illegal temples “to widen roads and beautify the city”? Or is it a consipiracy to push Hindus into a corner? Is it correct of VHP leaders to liken Modi to the much-reviled Aurangzeb? Or are they only revealing their animosity for him? Is Modi trying to enlarge his secular appeal or is he only carrying out his mandated duties as a democratically elected leader?

23 comments

Most certainly option ‘3’: “Maybe, but Modi should also pull down all illegal mosques, churches, synagogues and ashrams, regardless of the religion involved”

And in my opinion, the first word in the sentence above should be YES and not maybe. Illegal temples, mosques, churches, houses.. everything certainly needs to be demolished, all the more so if they have encroached on public land.

And check out this sentence in the article: “Facing the axe are another 161 temples, a dargah, and a Christian prayer hall in BJP prime minister hopeful L.K. Advani’s constituency”

Modi is doing precisely what needs to be done. Kudos to him for this. The VHP has again shown that it is an utter ass, and needs to be banished. I still cannot believe that India has managed to produce a politician with some guts.

Why poll? Why don’t you take a stand? Even during Amarnath agitation, you cleverly conducted a poll instead of taking a stand. If even 10 illegal mosques or churches had been demolished, would you have conducted a poll? I don’t think so. You would have cried foul and called Modi names.

Nothing wrong in what Modi’s doing. There is absolutely nothing wrong in the VHP’s protests too. They represent those Hindus who might not want their long standing Temples demolished. Moreover, we Hindus are averse to our places of worship being demolished…we have seen enough of them gone already.

I believe both interests can and will be accommodated.

What I do not understand is that the liberal thugs are not at all averse to Modi using his powers to steamroll (?) any opposition to these demolitions. So, the thugee does not really mind a dictator as long as he is perceived to be stomping over Hindus.

I think its just another clever ruse so that he can always display a secular badge to the rest of india as he tries to step out his Gujarat-bound image.
Perhaps it’s in preparation for his Prime-ministerial ambitions further in his career.

Gujju’s may cry foul, but i expect that a person as diabolic as Modi holds the reins, and i cannot imagine that in ‘Modi’s Gujarat’ he will ever be in a situation where he is politically unaware of forces against him, and if aware of them- permissive of their existence, especially within the VHP itself.

So, as unlikely as it is that the ‘Superman’ will be caught in anyone’s political-crosshairs, it is EVEN MORE unlikely that the crosshairs belong the the VHP itself.
There may even already exist a tacit understanding between him and the organisation he has been immersed in, or, if infact there is genuine protest within the ranks, then it may require him to use his clout within the VHP. Either way, after playing their role in providing a reasonable protest, i expect the VHP will fall back.
How the VHP behaves in this matter will be the proof of the pudding.

This news is a good illustration of how in India the rule of law is not often applicable. If it is the case why should this be a news? It is not Mody who should be involved in demolishing these temples or mosques or churches which are illegally built, but the local officials. As a CM he has far better things to take care off and not worrying about ensuring the building bye laws be implemented.

There is also an implied crticism that if one is a BJP CM, he or she will not demolish illegal hindu temples, but they will not hesitate to pull down churches or mosques. And if CM is a Congress or JD (S), they will not bother to pull down any religious buildings even if they violate all the bye laws. What a shame!

Sir, This question is missing:
It OK if a BJP minister does this to hindu temples, but not ok if it is a mosque or a church.

I am sure many, who have actually had raise the clarion call against the fascists, on air and off it and in the press, who could not vote because of this missing question. this is blatant disenfranchisement and a well schemed and purposeful attempt to undermine the urgent fight against fascists.

All along the Indo-Pak border, illegal mosques and madrasas have raised their ugly heads. The purposes served by such structures and the residents therein is best left unsaid. Such constructions violate municipal and panchayat building by-laws. But, none dares issue notice to the persons in charge of mosques to either remove the irregularity, or notice of demolition. Not even Narendra Modi dares remove these illegal structures. Hindus are easy and soft targets for people in power, especially for the Hindus in power.

A visionary step, atlast we got a real leader & Our own “Sardar Patel”. I completely agree with Modi. I am a gujarati but am not crying foul. We Gujjus are the business community & mind you all that every visionary movement had been started in Gujarat. We sniff wrong things very early because of our enterprising nature. Congress is just a dividing force same is BJP but still better than pseudo secular parties like Congress, BSP, Samajvadi party because of Modi thats why we support Modi.

Anything illegal should be demolished.. it can be temple, church or mosque… all so called religious activities are supported by illegal people to become powerhouse in a name of religion… see Asharam Bapu…..This is vicious cycle…we have to break it…& thats what Modi is doing…..”Waise bhi Manjira bajane se kisika pet nahi bharata” ( See Swadesh for more understanding… a classy movie)

All illegal structures should be demolished. It is time people learned to obey laws with regards to town planning. Nothing prevents this idiots (actually smart money-making guys selling religion!) from making their temples, churches, etc. on properly planned sites.

————
As I stated before, Modi is the ONLY leader under whose rule, a person who does NOT pay electricity bill, will have connection cut, sent to jail for any non-payment. And yes, it includes the minority ghettos where nobody cares to collect electricity bill.
————
Salauddeen>>All illegal structures should be demolished.

We all know what happened when one illegal dargah was demolished in Guj last year. It became national headline, local muslims rioted.

All illeagal structures should be demolished ,irrespctive of the religion it belong to.Strangly only sangpariwar reacts if the demolished structure is a temple but all ” secularists” react if it belonged to any other religion.

1. The recent blood-bath of innocent people, the razing & wracking of hotels & railroad terminals in Mumbai, was no more contemporaneous than, the slaughter of Kafirs ( Non-Moslem Infidels ) of Mecca, the tearing down of Meccan temples & shattering of all idols inside them, some 1400 years ago. The usual suspects in both cases are Moslem-Mujahideens. The propaganda of Islamic-Clergy that, Islam is a religion of, peace, love, and brotherhood, is a half-a** baloney. It is a rhetoric that is designed to, justify the brutal, plunderous, & piratical instincts of followers of Islam, and of the imbecilic teachings of Islam & of its clergy.

Islamic Clergy ( Mullahs, Maulvies et al ) insist that, Moslems have been maltreated & molested, and they are only struggling to eradicate this injustice. This phoney-baloney explanation may sound acceptable & satisfactory to, the smooth-speaking jerks of the Phoney-Liberal gang, but cannot mask the specific reality that, this harebrained bunch is terribly out-of-touch with the true face of Islam. Their perspective is suicidal, it is totally disconnected from, facing up to the terrorizing-threat of Islam, that is making an ugly face at them.

2. Throughout its entire history of 1400 years, Islam’s followers have continue their fiendish & gory deeds of murder & massacre, plunder & rape of Kafirs ( Non-Moslem Infidels ), with the greatest Islamic glee & gusto. The phoney-liberals neither have the knowledge nor the pride to, bravely & fiercely defend their ancient & holy Vedic faith. To expect them to renounce & denounce the sickening record of, un-mitigated Islamic barbarism, is expecting a lot. It is not going to happen. But phoney-liberals do not abide in India alone. They have a stay in nearly all Western countries. As a result of their pussy-footing approaches towards Islam, a wide network of Muslim-Mujahideens, carry on their Islamic-Offense all across the globe.

3. Islam teaches its followers that, they don’t have to deal with Kafirs, on the basis of either fairness or with straight-shooting. Because of this ingrained-ingloriousness on the part of Islam & of its followers, there is a wide gap between what the Moslems say & what they mean. That is why there is no relation between what the Pakistan government says, and what kind of truculent movements operate within its territories. Their responsibility cannot be nullified by, a few picked-up gestures & pious-platitudes, offered to American & European leaders..

Islam is very ill-tempered, and its pugnaciousness is further heightened by, the phoney-liberal politicians of India, USA, & Europe.
As a consequence of their soft approaches towards Islam, Islamic outfits like LeT ( Lashkar-e-Taiba ) are boldly recruiting thousands of fresh Mujahideens in Europe, Pakistan, India and at other places, in blatant view of the local populations. LeT has demonstrated that it can strike any where, and at any time, and that counter-terrorism drills of democracies, are totally useless in stopping them. Democracies expend too much time & effort, studying what motivates the Mujahideens, and devote too little effort, nerve & vigor, in going after the Mujahideens in real earnest.

4. There are no places in the world without Moslems. Islam has pierced & punctured through every place on earth. Is there anything that India &, other democracies of the world, can do ? Yes, they can. They can abandon their phoney-liberal peccadilloes, and go after the dirty-scoundrels of Islam, who are snakes in the grass, and eradicate these rotten characters, without the least bit of lingering.

To repeat: Mujahideens of Islam, who have a sacred-duty to eliminate Kafirs, are a well-established international organization, March of these Mujahideens is a paramount fact of our life. Urgent, not urbane, measures are needed to quickly put them out of business. What is needed is not rhetoric, but a potent counter-action.

5. Some of the Mujahideens in India, are openly shouting that :

“ Moslems ruled India for 800 years,

Inshaaallah, we shall return to power again. “

Against this threat, we Hindus can be, either Pro-Active or Reactive, but not Both. In this world, those who anticipate & pro-act, become winners, but those others who only react, become the garbage of history.

Lesson to be learned is awfully-simple. We Hindus need to shed the false notion, of our 1200 year old habit of, reactivity & defensive mentality, and go after the Sullas, with the intention of liquidating them.